The invention relates generally to a single blank of cardboard that, once folded into a three dimensional form, resembles a spaceship in which a child can play.
As is known, children's toys, especially those made of cardboard or similar substances, must be able to withstand substantial wear and tear and abuse. Many toys that are made out of cardboard do not withstand the rigors encountered when children are playing energetically. Conventionally designed toys made from cardboard, in order to be durable, typically would have to be designed such that their costs would be exorbitant. These disadvantages are obviated by the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a toy resembling a spaceship that is large enough for children to play in, that is sturdy and durable, and can more easily withstand the abuse normally encountered when children play with their toys.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a cardboard toy that is easily assembled by small children and can be readily unfolded as herein described into a flat, easily stored unit.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a child's toy from a single blank of cardboard wherein various panels are folded and glued together to substantially increase the strength of several key portions of the container when assembled.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a neatly packaged, flat container, which can be easily folded to provide a three-dimensional spaceship toy in which children can play.
It is another object of the invention to provide sloped door and front panels to add vertical strength to the structure when hinged and glued as designed and to resist external compressive forces.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a foldable container wherein the panels, once folded, have increased strength due to the crosshatch arrangement of the flutes in the cardboard.
In summary, the invention relates to a foldable structure made from a single blank of cardboard or a similar substance, and folded in the form of a spaceship in which children can play. The rear panel has foldable flaps along score lines, and reverse score lines, such that when the flaps are folded and glued to the rear panel, the flutes of the various flaps and panels form a crosshatch structure. The crosshatching of the flutes substantially increases the strength of the rear panel which is likely to receive substantial wear and tear by children playing with it. The bottom panel has a pair of flaps which are folded onto and glued to the bottom panel to increase its strength. Further, when the flaps are folded onto the bottom panel, a pair of triangular support columns are incorporated into the length of the bottom panel to further strengthen and add support to the bottom panel. The front panel has a pair of side panels which serve as doors for entering and exiting the structure. A latching means is provided to securely latch the rear and front panels at their top edges so that the structure, when completely folded, is in the form of a spaceship. The enclosure can be broken down such that it is flat and can be easily stored.